How to prepare for pimping questions during surgery residency interviews

June 30, 2010

How to prepare for pimping questions during surgery residency interviews

Medical students are often shocked to learn that they will be pimped at some residency programs. After the shock, comes healthy fear, then steady preparation.

A lot of the questions are random and are done partly to see how you function under pressure and also to test your fund of knowledge and your reasoning skills.

Here is a list of some of the questions that have been asked in the past.

– Walk me through a Whipple procedure
– What is the differential diagnosis for liver tumors
– Define triangle of Hesselbach
– Describe the Parkland burn formula
– What is the difference in management and treatment of paraesophageal hernias vs. sliding hiatal hernias?
– Define hernias and describe hernia repair techniques
– What is ECMO?
– How does a swann ganz catheter work
– basic circulation questions
– What are the factors involved in wound healing?
– What is the physiologic basis and swan parameters for heart failure/cardiogenic shock
– Read the CT scan of the abdomen. What is the workup of the lesion found on the CT scan?
– You might be asked some ethics questions

In an effort to look smart (or not look stupid) during these types of interviews, and possibly receive its accoladic equivalent, matching at that institution, some students opt to review before their interview, reading Surgical Recall and/or the Absite review.